“Fake”ships

Friends. You gain friends starting in elementary school. Where you all shared missing teeth and childish adventures. Those are the same friends who grew up with you all throughout middle and high school. At 18, it was time to travel other paths to possibly leave old friends and create new ones.

During this journey called adulthood, you really should take inventory of your real friends. Really, you should. As you grow older, you should become wiser in your selections. You should hang around like-minded people. People who like to do the same things you do. Or… maybe you can get along with people who may not believe in the same things you do, but you both compliment each other despite oppositions. Either way, during those conversations and interactions, you should be able to see just who is for you and who is against you. A sense of discernment, per se. Really, you should.

Think about this … have you ever thought that a friend, a real friend, could one day turn their back on you? Betray your trust? Do the unthinkable while still trying to hold on to a ‘fake’ship? How hurtful it must be to trust someone all the while being lied to about how they really feel about you? Or worse … what they’ve done to you? How would you feel? Whether it’s someone you knew since kindergarten or someone you’ve been friends with for 6 months, the hurt is still the same. The sting of betrayal is a different kind of pain. And once that seed of doubt is planted in one’s mind, there is extra caution when it comes to allowing others to try to get close. However, you cannot judge another person because of someone else’s errors. That’s not fair.

This is why my circle is very small. Intimate. I know just as much about them as they know about me. I’ve been betrayed over the course of my years by people who claim to care. But I consider it a ‘learning experience’. I learn from it then I move on – unbothered. No need in dwelling on something you can’t control at this point. My focus is to love those who love me – nothing more, nothing less. And I am thankful to God for my gift of discernment. In hindsight… that means just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean I didn’t know. 😏

Until next time… be blessed.